


"...The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”

by notjustmom



Series: Doodahs and Whatnots [38]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Black Dog, Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, James Baldwin - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 07:29:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16237040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: I imagine early on in their partnership, they both had days when the black dog hung over them, and this bit focuses on how John might help Sherlock on one of his darker days.





	"...The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from a James Baldwin essay, 'Nothing Personal' that accompanied some of Richard Avedon's work in 1964, and the line comes from a longer thought:
> 
> "For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”

John banged up the steps to the flat, realising only as he pushed open the door to the flat that he had forgotten to pick up milk, again. There were no lights on, he sniffed the air, no chemicals burning, or toast for that matter. He switched on the lights, no new case pinned to the wall, no new bullet-holes. No Sherlock curled up on the couch or at the window torturing his violin. Damn. He slipped out of his water-logged shoes and hung up his coat, then quietly made his way into their bedroom and closed the door behind him. Sherlock was where he had left him early that morning, the same spot. John undressed quietly, then slipped into the bed, and pulled Sherlock into his arms.

Sherlock blinked at him and shook his head.

"I know. You don't have to talk about it. I'm here."

Sherlock nodded and placed his palm over John's heart and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, resting his head on John's shoulder. "Just couldn't."

John kissed his hair and felt Sherlock slowly relax against him. He could tell the man in his arms that tomorrow will be better, that he won't always feel this way, but he knew those words meant little right now, and the only thing that helped was just to hold onto him and not let go. In the morning, they might talk about it, or they wouldn't. And it might be better tomorrow or not. All that mattered at the moment was that Sherlock knew he wasn't alone, and that John wasn't going anywhere, not even for milk.


End file.
